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Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency
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PART 2
Q. EVERYTHING GOT A WORLDVIEW. A BUDDHIST, A
10 BAPTIST, A SECULAR AN ATHEIST EVERYBODY'S GOT A
11 WORLDVIEW. I WROTE OR INVITED PEOPLE WHO GET MY
12 NEWSLETTER TO RIGHT IN THEIR QUESTIONS. WE HAVE ABOUT
13 200,000 QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN AND --
14 A. I ONLY HAVE --
15 Q. I ONLY HAVE 500 IN THIS SECTION. SO NO MATTER
16 HOW YOU ANSWER THESE WORLDVIEW QUESTIONS, SOMEBODY IS
17 NOT GOING TO LIKE THEM BECAUSE WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT
18 KINDS OF WORLDVIEWS IN AMERICA, BUT PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW
19 WHAT YOUR WORLDVIEW IS SO AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
20 THESE MINDFIELDS. LET'S KIND OF TIC THEM OFF.
21 THE MINDFIELDS OF AMERICA. THE FIRST ONE IS
22 CHRISTIANTY. NOW YOU'VE MADE NO DOUBT ABOUT YOUR FAITH
23 IN JESUS CHRIST. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT
24 DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO TRUST IN CHRIST AND WHAT DOES IT
25 MEAN ON A DAILY BASIS? I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY 1 LOOK LIKE?
2 A. AS A STARTING POINT, IT MEANS I BELIEVE IN
3 THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR MY SINS AND THAT I AM
4 REDEEMED THROUGH HIM. THAT IS A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND
5 SUSTENANCE ON A DAILY BASIS. I KNOW THAT I DON'T WALK
6 ALONE, AND I KNOW THAT IF I CAN GET MYSELF OUT OF THE
7 WAY, THAT I CAN MAYBE CARRY OUT IN SOME SMALL WAY WHAT
8 HE INTENDS. AND IT MEANS THAT THOSE SINS THAT I HAVE
9 ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS HOPEFULLY WILL BE WASHED
10 AWAY.
11 BUT WHAT IT ALSO MEANS, I THINK, IS A SENSE
12 OF OBLIGATION TO EMBRACE NOT JUST WORDS BUT THROUGH
13 DEEDS THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GOD HAS FOR US. AND THAT
14 MEANS THINKING ABOUT THE LEAST OF THESE. IT MEANS
15 ACTING -- WELL, ACTING JUSTLY AND LOVING MERCY AND
16 WALKING HUMBLY WITH OUR GOD. AND THAT, I THINK TRYING
17 TO APPLY THOSE LESSONS ON A DAILY BASIS KNOWING THAT
18 YOU ARE GOING TO FALL A LITTLE BIT SHORT EACH DAY AND
19 KIND OF TRYING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE NOTE AND SAY, WELL,
20 THAT DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD
21 HAVE BUT MAYBE I CAN GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
22 IT GIVES ME THE CONFIDENCE TO TRY THINGS
23 INCLUDING THINGS LIKE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT WHERE ARE
24 YOU GOING TO SCREW UP ONCE IN A WHILE.
25 Q. OKAY. LET'S GO THROUGH THE TOUGH ONES.
1 A. I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY TOUGH.
2 Q. NO THAT WAS A FREEBIE. THAT WAS A GIMME.
3 THAT IT WAS A GIMME.
4 NOW, LET'S DEAL WITH ABORTION. 40 MILLION
5 ABORTIONS SINCE ROE V. WADE. YOU KNOW, AS A PASTOR I
6 HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ALL OF THE TIME. ALL OF THE
7 PAIN AND ALL OF THE CONFLICTS. I KNOW THIS IS A VERY
8 COMPLEX ISSUE. 40 MILLION ABORTIONS. AT WHAT POINT
9 DOES A BABY GET HUMAN RIGHTS IN YOUR VIEW?
10 A. WELL, I THINK THAT WHETHER YOU ARE LOOKING AT
11 IT FROM A THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OR A SCIENTIFIC
12 PERSPECTIVE, ANSWERING THAT QUESTION WITH SPECIFICITY,
13 YOU KNOW, IS ABOVE MY PAY GRADE. BUT LET ME JUST SPEAK
14 MORE GENERALLY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF ABORTION BECAUSE THIS
15 IS SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY THE COUNTRY WRESTLES WITH. ONE
16 THING THAT I'M ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED OF IS THERE IS A
17 MORAL AND ETHICAL CONTENT TO THIS ISSUE. SO I THINK
18 THAT ANYBODY WHO TRIES TO DENY THE MORAL DIFFICULTIES
19 AND GRAVITY OF THE ABORTION ISSUE I THINK IS NOT PAYING
20 ATTENTION. SO THAT WOULD BE POINT NUMBER ONE.
21 BUT POINT NUMBER TWO, I AM PRO-CHOICE. I
22 BELIEVE IN ROE V. WADE AND COME TO THAT CONCLUSION NOT
23 BECAUSE I'M PRO ABORTION, BUT BECAUSE ULTIMATELY I
24 DON'T THINK WOMEN MAKE THESE DECISIONS CASUALLY. THEY
25 WRESTLE WITH THESE THINGS IN PROFOUND WAYS. IN
1 CONSULTATION WITH THEIR PASTORS OR SPOUSES OR THEIR
2 DOCTORS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. AND SO FOR ME, THE
3 GOAL RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE -- AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK
4 WE CAN FIND COMMON GROUND AND BY THE WAY I HAVE NOW
5 INSERTED THIS INTO THE DEMOCRAT PARTY PLATFORM IS HOW
6 DO WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS BECAUSE THE FACT
7 IS THAT ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD A PRESIDENT WHO IS OPPOSED
8 TO ABORTIONS OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, ABORTIONS HAVE
9 NOT GONE DOWN.
10 Q. HAVE YOU EVER VOTED TO LIMIT OR REDUCE
11 ABORTIONS?
12 A. I AM IN FAVOR, FOR EXAMPLE, OF LIMITS ON LATE
13 TERM ABORTIONS IF THERE IS AN EXCEPTION FOR THE
14 MOTHER'S HEALTH. NOW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THOSE
15 WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE PRO LIFE, I THINK THEY WOULD
16 CONSIDER THAT INADEQUATE. AND I RESPECT THEIR VIEWS.
17 I MEAN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID IS THAT
18 ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT LIFE
19 BEGINS AT CONCEPTION, THEN -- AND YOU ARE CONSISTENT IN
20 THAT BELIEF, THEN I CAN'T ARGUE WITH YOU ON THAT
21 BECAUSE THAT IS A CORE ISSUE OF FAITH FOR YOU.
22 WHAT I CAN DO IS SAY ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE
23 CAN WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNWANTED
24 PREGNANCIES SO THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE REDUCING THE SENSE
25 THAT WOMEN ARE SEEKING OUT ABORTIONS, AND AS AN EXAMPLE
1 OF THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT IS
2 HOW DO WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT ALLOW WOMEN TO
3 MAKE THE CHOICE TO KEEP A CHILD. YOU KNOW, HAVE WE
4 GIVEN THEM THE HEALTH CARE THAT THEY NEED. HAVE WE
5 GIVEN THEM THE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. HAVE
6 WE GIVEN THEM THE OPTIONS OF ADOPTION THAT ARE
7 NECESSARY. THAT I THINK CAN MAKE A GENUINE DIFFERENCE.
8 Q. THERE'S A LOT MORE I'D LIKE TO ASK ON THAT BUT
9 WE'VE GOT 15 OTHER QUESTIONS HERE.
10 DEFINE MARRIAGE.
11 A. I BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE IS THE UNION BETWEEN A
12 MAN AND A WOMAN. NOW FOR ME AS A CHRISTIAN -- FOR ME
13 -- FOR ME AS A CHRISTIAN IT'S ALSO A SACRED UNION.
14 GOD'S IN THE MIX. BUT --
15 Q. WOULD YOU SUPPORT A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
16 WITH THAT DEFINITION?
17 A. NO, I WOULD NOT.
18 Q. WHY NOT?
19 A. BECAUSE HISTORICALLY -- BECAUSE HISTORICALLY
20 WE HAVE NOT DEFINED MARRIAGE IN OUR CONSTITUTION. IT'S
21 BEEN A MATTER OF STATE LAW THAT HAS BEEN OUR TRADITION.
22 LET'S BREAK IT DOWN. THE REASON THAT PEOPLE
23 THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT,
24 SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE, IS BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN THAT
25 ABOUT SAME SEX MARRIAGE.
1 I AM NOT SOMEBODY WHO PROMOTES SAME SEX
2 MARRIAGE BUT I DO BELIEVE IN CIVIL UNIONS. I DO
3 BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT -- THAT FOR A GAY PARTNERS
4 TO WANT TO VISIT EACH OTHER IN THE HOSPITAL FOR THE
5 STATE TO SAY YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S ALL RIGHT, I DON'T
6 THINK IN ANY WAY INHIBITS MY CORE BELIEFS ABOUT WHAT
7 MARRIAGE ARE. I THINK MY FAITH IS STRONG ENOUGH AND MY
8 MARRIAGE IS STRONG ENOUGH THAT I CAN AFFORD THOSE CIVIL
9 RIGHTS TO OTHERS EVEN IF I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
10 OR A DIFFERENT VIEW.
11 Q. OKAY. HOW ABOUT THIS, WHAT ABOUT STEM CELLS.
12 NOW WE'VE HAD THIS SCIENTIFIC BREAK THROUGH OF CREATING
13 THESE PLURY POTENT STEM CELLS IN ADULT CELLS. DO WE
14 STILL NEED FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RESEARCH? WOULD YOU
15 STILL SUPPORT THAT FOR EMBRYO STEM CELLS?
16 A. KEEP IN MIND THE WAY THAT STEM CELLS
17 LEGISLATION THAT WAS VETOED BY THE PRESIDENT WAS
18 STRUCTURED, WHAT IT SAID WAS YOU COULD ONLY USE EMBRYOS
19 THAT WERE ABOUT TO BE DISCARDED, THAT HAD BEEN CREATED
20 AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ATTEMPTS AT IN VITRO FERTILIZATION.
21 SO THERE WERE VERY TIGHTLY CIRCUMSCRIBED MECHANISMS
22 THAT WERE PERMITTED. I THINK THAT THAT IS A LEGITIMATE
23 MORAL APPROACH TO TAKE.
24 IF WE ARE GOING TO DISCARD THOSE EMBRYOS AND
25 WE KNOW THAT THERE'S POTENTIAL RESEARCH THAT COULD LEAD
1 TO CURING DEBILITATING DISEASE, ALZHEIMER'S, LOU
2 GEHRIG'S DISEASE, IF THAT POSSIBILITY PRESENTS ITSELF
3 THEN I THINK WE SHOULD IN A CAREFUL WAY GO AHEAD AND
4 PURSUE THAT RESEARCH.
5 NOW, IF IN FACT ADULT STEM CELL LINES ARE
6 WORKING JUST AS WELL, THEN OF COURSE WE SHOULD TRY TO
7 AVOID ANY KIND OF MORAL ARGUMENTS THAT MAY BE IN PLACE.
8 BUT I WANT TO MAKE A BROADER POINT, PASTOR
9 RICK ON AN ISSUE LIKE TEN CELL RESEARCH. IT'S NOT LIKE
10 PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF STEM CELL RESEARCH ARE GOING
11 AROUND THINKING TO THEMSELVES BOY LET'S GO DESTROY SOME
12 EMBRYOS. THAT'S NOT THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I THINK
13 PEOPLE COME TO THAT ISSUE ON. I THINK WHAT THEY SAY IS
14 WE WOULD NOT TOLERATE A SITUATION IN WHICH, YOU KNOW,
15 WE'RE ENCOURAGING HUMAN CLONING OR IN SOME WAYS
16 DIMINISHING THE SACRED NECESSARY OF HUMAN LIFE AND WHAT
17 IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN, BUT THAT IN NARROW CIRCUMSTANCES,
18 YOU KNOW, THERE IS NOTHING INAPPROPRIATE WITH US
19 PURSUING SCIENTIFIC RE CERTAIN OF THAT COULD LEAD TO
20 CURES SO LONG AS WE'RE NOT DESIGNING EMBRYOS FOR THAT
21 PURPOSE.
22 Q. OKAY WE'VE GOT ONE LAST TIME -- I'VE GOT A
23 BUNCH MORE ABOUT LET ME ASK YOU ONE IN EVIL. DOES EVIL
24 EXIST AND IF IT DOES DO WE IGNORE IT, DO WE NEGOTIATE
25 WITH IT, DO WE CONTAIN IT OR DO WE DEFEAT IT?
1 A. EVIL DOES EXIST. I MEAN, WE SEE EVIL ALL THE
2 TIME. WE SEE EVIL IN DARFUR. WE SEE EVIL SADLY ON THE
3 STREETS OF OUR CITIES. WE SEE EVIL IN PARENTS WHO HAVE
4 VICIOUSLY ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN AND I THINK IT HAS TO
5 BE CONFRONTED. IT HAS TO BE CONFRONTED SQUARELY AND
6 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I STRONGLY BELIEVE IS THAT, YOU
7 KNOW, WE ARE NOT GOING TO, AS INDIVIDUALS, BE ABLE TO
8 ERASE EVIL FROM THE WORLD. THAT IS GOD'S TASK. BUT WE
9 CAN BE SOLDERS IN THAT PROCESS AND WE CAN CONFRONT IT
10 WHEN WE SEE IT.
11 NOW, THE ONE THINK THAT I THINK IS VERY
12 IMPORTANT IS FOR US TO HAVE SOME HUMILITY IN HOW WE
13 APPROACH THE ISSUE OF CON FRONTING EVIL, BUT YOU KNOW A
14 LOT OF EVIL HAS BEEN PERPETRATED BASED ON THE CLAIM
15 THAT WE WERE TRYING TO CONFRONT EVIL.
16 Q. IN THE NAME OF GOOD?
17 A. INTO THE NAME OF GOOD. AND I THINK ONE THING
18 THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS HAVING SOME HUMILITY IN
19 RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WE THINK OUR
20 INTENTIONS ARE GOOD DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN THAT WE'RE
21 GOING TO BE DOING GOOD.
22 Q. ALL RIGHT LET'S MOVE ON TO SOME DOMESTIC
23 ISSUE. DON'T GIVE ME YOUR STUMP SPEECH ON THESE.
24 LET'S GO THROUGH IT.
25 A. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS HARD. I'VE BEEN ON THE
1 STUMP FOR A LONG TIME.
2 Q. I KNOW IT IS.
3 A. ALL RIGHT.
4 Q. THE COURTS. LET ME ASK IT THIS WAY. WHICH
5 EXISTING SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WOULD YOU NOT HAVE
6 NOMINATED?
7 A. THAT'S A GOOD ONE. THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
8 I WOULD NOT HAVE NOMINATED CLARENCE THOMAS.
9 I DON'T THINK THAT HE. I DON'T THINK THAT HE WAS A
10 STRONG ENOUGH JURIST OR LEGAL THINKER AT THE TIME FOR
11 THAT ELEVATION. SETTING ASIDE THE FACT THAT I
12 PROFOUNDLY DISAGREE WITH HIS INTERPRETATION OF A LOT OF
13 CONSTITUTION. I WOULD NOT NOMINATE JUSTICE SCALIA
14 ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DOUBT ABOUT HIS
15 INTELLECTUAL BRILLIANCE BECAUSE HE AND I JUST DISAGREE,
16 YOU KNOW. HE TAUGHT AT UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AS DID I
17 IN THE LAW SCHOOL.
18 Q. HOW ABOUT JOHN ROBERTS?
19 A. JOHN ROBERTS I HAVE TO SAY WAS A TOUGHER
20 QUESTION ONLY BECAUSE I FIND HIM TO BE A VERY
21 COMPELLING PERSON, YOU KNOW, IN SERVICES INDIVIDUALLY.
22 HE'S CLEARLY SMART, VERY THOUGHTFUL. I WILL TELL YOU
23 THAT HOW I'VE SEEN HIM OPERATE SINCE HE WENT TO THE
24 BENCH CONFIRMS THE SUSPICIONS THAT I HAD AND THE REASON
25 THAT I VOTED AGAINST HIM AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE VERY
1 SPECIFIC INSTANCE AND THIS IS NOT A STUMP SPEECH.
2 Q. ALL RIGHT. WHEN I PICK THIS UP IT MEANS --
3 A. EXACTLY. I'M GETTING THE CUES. I'M GETTING
4 THE CUES.
5 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT JOBS OF I BELIEVE
6 THE SUPREME COURT IS TO GUARD AGAINST THE ENCROACHMENT
7 OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ON THE POWER OF THE OTHER
8 BRANCHES AND I THINK THAT HE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT TOO
9 WILLING AND TOO EAGER TO GIVE AN ADMINISTRATION WHETHER
10 IT'S MINE OR GEORGE BUSH'S MORE POWER THAN I THINK THE
11 CONSTITUTION ORIGINALLY INTENDED.
12 Q. OKAY. THE ROLE OF FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
13 80 PERCENT OF AMERICANS BELIEVE FAITH BASED
14 ORGANIZATION DO A BETTER JOB AT COMMUNITY SERVICES THAN
15 THE GOVERNMENT HELPING ADDICTIONS, YOU KNOW, PRISONER
16 REENTRY, ALL THE DIFFERENT HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY,
17 THINGS LIKE THAT.
18 THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF '64 SAYS THAT FAITH
19 BASED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE RIGHT TO HIRE PEOPLE THAT
20 BELIEVE LIKE THEY DO.
21 WOULD YOU INSIST THAT FAITH BASED
22 ORGANIZATIONS FORFEIT THAT RIGHT TO ACCESS FEDERAL
23 FUNDS?
24 A. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOU ARE AWARE,
25 PASTOR RICK, THAT I GAVE A SPEECH EARLIER THIS SUMMER
1 PROMOTING FAITH BASED INITITIVES. I THINK THAT WE
2 SHOULD HAVE AND ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH WHEN IT
3 COMES TO ISSUES LIKE POVERTY AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. AND
4 AS SOMEBODY WHO GOT MY START OUT OF COLLEGE WORKING
5 WITH CHURCHES WHO WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE
6 DEVASTATION OF STEEL PLANTS CLOSING IN THE SOUTH SIDE
7 OF CHICAGO, I KNOW THE POWER OF FAITH BASED
8 INSTITUTIONS TO GET STUFF DONE.
9 WHAT I HAVE SAID IS THAT WHEN IT COMES, FIRST
10 OF ALL, TO FUNDING FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, THEY ARE
11 ALWAYS FREE TO HIRE WHOEVER THEY WANT WHEN IT COMES TO
12 THEIR OWN MISSION, WHO THEIR PASTOR IS, THE VARIOUS
13 MINISTRIES THAT THEY WANT TO SET UP, BUT -- AND THIS
14 HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING RULE.
15 Q. CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY?
16 A. ABSOLUTELY. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PERHAPS THAT
17 ARE FEDERALLY FUNDING , THEN WE DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
18 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT CREATING A SITUATION WHERE
19 PEOPLE ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST USING FEDERAL
20 MONEY. THAT'S NOT NEW. THAT'S A CONCEPT THAT WAS TRUE
21 UNDER THE CLINTON ADMINISTER, THAT WAS TRUE UNDER THE
22 BUSH ADMINISTRATION. THEIR ARE IN 95 PERCENT OF THE
23 CIRCUMSTANCES IT'S NOT AN ISSUE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
24 CAREFUL ABOUT HOW THEY USE THE FUNDS.
25 THERE ARE SOME TOUGH ISSUES, 5 PERCENT OF THE

1 SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT SAY YOU KNOW I WANT TO
2 HIRE SOMEBODY OF MY FAITH FOR A PROGRAM THAT IS FULLY
3 FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE OFFERING
4 SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.
5 Q. FOR INSTANCE LIKE IN RELIEF. LIKE IN KATRINA.
6 IF I TOOK PEOPLE TO KATRINA AND I WANTED TO HIRE SOME
7 PEOPLE TO DO RELIEF, I WOULD STILL -- IF I TOOK FEDERAL
8 MONEY TO HELP IN THAT RELIEF I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY,
9 I ONLY WANT PEOPLE TO BELIEVE LIKE WE DO?
10 A. IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE DELVE
11 IS IN THE DETAILS. I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING FAITH
12 BASED ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD NOT BE ADVANTAGED OR
13 DISADVANTAGED WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING FEDERAL FUNDS BY
14 VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE FAITH-BASED
15 ORGANIZATIONS. THEY JUST WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD
16 BUT WHAT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE OF IS THAT AS A
17 GENERAL PRINCIPAL WE'RE NOT USING FEDERAL FUNDING TO
18 DISCRIMINATED BUT THAT IS ONLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE
19 NARROW PROGRAM THAT IS BEING FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL
20 GOVERNMENT. THAT DOES NOT AFFECT ANY OF THE OTHER
21 MINISTRIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
22 Q. OKAY LET'S GO TO EDUCATION. AMERICA RIGHT NOW
23 RANKS 19TH IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. WE'RE FIRST IN
24 INCARCERATIONS.
25 A. NOT GOOD.
1 Q. NOT GOOD. 80 PERCENT OF AMERICANS RECENT POLE
2 SAID THEY BELIEVE IN MERIT PAY FOR TEACHERS. I'M NOT
3 ASKING DO YOU THINK ALL TEACHERS SHOULD GET A RAISE.
4 DO YOU THINK BETTER TEACHERS SHOULD BE PAID BETTER.
5 THEY SHOULD BE MADE MORE THAN POOR TEACHERS?
6 A. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, AND I'VE SAID THIS
7 PUBLICLY. THAT WE SHOULD SAID UP A SYSTEM OF
8 PERFORMANCE PAY FOR TEACHERS NEGOTIATED WITH TEACHERS,
9 WORKED WITH THE TEACHERS TO FIGURE OUT THE ASSESSMENT
10 SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING JUDGED FAIRLY THAT IT
11 IS NOT A THE WHIM OF THE PRINCIPAL THAT IS IT NOT BASED
12 ON A SINGLE HIGH TESTS, BUT THE BASIC NOTION THAT
13 TEACHING IS A PROFESSION, THAT TEACHERS ARE UNDERPAID
14 SO WE NEED TO PAY THEM ALL MORE AND CREATE A HIGHER
15 BASE LINE BUT THEN WE SHOULD ALSO REWARD EXCELLENCE. I
16 THINK THAT IS A CONCEPT THAT ALL OF US SHOULD EMBRACE.
17 Q. OKAY. TAXES. THIS IS A REAL SIMPLE QUESTION.
18 DEFINE RICH. I MEAN, GIVE ME A NUMBER. IS IT 50,000,
19 100,000, 200,000? EVERYBODY KEEPS TALKING ABOUT WELL
20 HERE WE'RE GOING TO TAX. HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT?
21 A. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT BOOK SALES OF 25
22 MILLION AND YOU QUALIFY --
23 Q. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M NOT ASKING ABOUT ME.
24 A. LOOK, HERE IS HOW I THINK BIT. HERE IS HOW I
25 THINK BIT AND THIS IS REFLECTED IN MY TAX PLAN. IF YOU
1 ARE MAKING $150 THOUSAND A YEAR OR LESS AS A FAMILY,
2 THEN ARE YOU MIDDLE CLASS OR YOU MAY BE POOR. BUT $150
3 DOWN, YOU ARE BASICALLY MIDDLE CLASS. OBVIOUSLY IT
4 DEPENDS ON REGION WHERE YOU ARE LIVING.
5 Q. IN THIS REGION YOU ARE POOR.
6 A. WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HOUSING PRICES HAVE
7 BEEN DOING LATELY.
8 I WOULD ARGUE THAT IF YOU ARE MAKING MORE
9 THAN $250,000 THEN ARE YOU IN THE TOP 3, 4 PERCENT OF
10 THIS COUNTRY. ARE YOU DOING WELL. NOW THESE THINGS
11 ARE ALL RELATIVE AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT EVERYBODY
12 THAT IS MAKING OVER $250,000 IS LIVING ON EASY STREET,
13 BUT THE QUESTION THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES
14 IS IF WE BELIEVE IN GOOD SCHOOLS, IF WE BELIEVE IN GOOD
15 ROADS, IF WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS CAN GO TO
16 COLLEGE, IF WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE A MOUNTAIN OF DEBT
17 FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, THEN WE'VE GOT TO PAY FOR
18 THESE THINGS. THEY DON'T COME FOR FREE. AND IT IS
19 IRRESPONSIBLE, I BELIEVE IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE INTER
20 GENERATIONALLY FOR US TO INVEST OR FOR US TO SPEND $10
21 BILLION A MONTH ON A WAR AND NOT HAVING A WAY TO PAY
22 FOR IT. THAT I THINK IS UNACCEPTABLE. NOBODY LIKE TO
23 PAY TAXES. I HAVEN'T SOLD 25 MILLION BOOKS BUT I'VE
24 SOLD A LOT OF BOOKS LATELY. I'VE WRITTEN A PRETTY BIG
25 CHECK TO UNCLE SAM. NOBODY LIKES IT.
1 WHAT I'M SAYING IS UNDER THE APPROACH THAT
2 I'M TAKING IF YOU MAKE 150 THOUSAND OR LESS YOU WILL
3 SEE A TAX CUT. IF YOU ARE MAKING $250,000 OR MORE YOU
4 WILL SEE A MONTH DEFENDANTS INCREASE. WHAT I'M TRYING
5 TO DO IS CREATE A SENSE OF BALANCE AND FAIRNESS IN OUR
6 TAX CODE. ONE THAT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IT SHOULD BE
7 SIMPLER SO YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THESE LOOPHOLES AND BIG
8 STACKS OF STUFF THAT YOU'VE GOT TO COME THROUGH WHICH
9 WASTE A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND ALLOWS SPECIAL
10 INTEREST TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THINGS THAT ORDINARY
11 PEOPLE CANNOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
12 Q. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.